Pencil.



W. J. COLEMAN.

PENCIL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5,1915- 1,149,731. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

W J COLEMAN WILLIAM J. COLEMAN, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

PENCIL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

- Application filed June 5, 1915. Serial No. 32,390.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pencils, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in pencils and as its principal object has in mind the provision of a pencil wherein the body of the pencil itself is designed to act as a clip for retaining the pencil in place within the owners pocket.

A more specific object. of the invention is 'to provide a pencil in which the butt end portion is longitudinally bifurcated with a resultant production of two yieldable gripping tangs which are adapted to engage against opposite sides of the pocket flap and act as a clip for holding the pencil against accidental displacement from the pocket.

Another important object of the invention is to accompany the two yieldable tangs with a relatively thick band of rubber which is freely movable alongthe pencil and is adapted for use both as a tensioning device for controlling the extent of the gripping action of the two yieldable tangs or as an eraser.

The above, and other incidental objects of a similar nature, which will be hereinafter more specifically treated are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form part of this appli cation.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention, as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the pencil constructed in accordance with the present invention, secured in a pocket; Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

As best shown in detail in Fig. 1 of the accompanying. drawings, the pencil, when constructed in accordance with my present invention, is substantially similar to any conventional pencil, except that it is pro vided in its butt end with a longitudinal bifurcation, indicated at 10. This bifurcat1on preferably, is of a length approximately equal to one-third the length of the pencil, although this' proportion may be varied when deemed advisable, without departing 1n anyway from the spirit of the invention. Obviously, the formation of the longitudinal bifurcation results in the production of two longitudinal gripping tangs 11 and 12, which due to the resiliency of the wood, normally tend to move toward each other and, therefore, act to grip against the pocket flap, when applied thereto. The outer ends of the tangs are beveled, as indicated at 13, so that a flared mouth will be produced at the butt end of the pencil to facilitate the application of the tangs to the pocket.

As a means for regulating the tension of the tangs and to insure their gripping, with desired severitv against opposite ends of a pocket flap, I provide an annulus of rubber, indicated at 14. This rubber annulus or ring is relatively thick, so that it may be employed as an eraser, when desired. It will be readily apparent, particularly upon reference to Fig. 1, that the rubber ring may be moved longitudinally on the tangs, toward or away from their outer ends to increase or decrease their tension, at will. When the rubber ring is to be used asan eraser, it is moved along the tangs toward the outer end thereof, so that it may be employed in the same manner, as is an ordinary pencil eraser.

In concluding the description of the invention, I desire to direct particular attention to the fact that in the present pencil, the amount of lead employed in producing a pencil is cut down approximately onethird, but that this lead is removed from the butt portion of the pencil which is usually thrown away and consequently wasted.

In reduction to practice, it has been found that the form of this invention illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of this device will necessarily vary, it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by the appended c aims.

trolling the tension of the tangs.

2. As an article of manufacture, a pencil provided With a lead and having its butt portion longitudinally bifurcated to provide oppositely disposed yieldable gripping tangs, adapted to engage against opposite sides of a piece of fabric, for holding the pencil against accidental displacement, the ends of said gripping tangs being formed with op- ,positely, outwardly divergent inner faces,

and an elastic member embracing the tangs and slidable therealong to control the tension of the tangs.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my 1,

signature in the presence of two Witnesses. WVILLIAM J. COLEMAN. Witnesses SIMON J. COLEMAN, GEORGE ZOURIDAKES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

